Signal



' Nov. 24, 19316. B HESTER 2,061,871

SIGNAL Filed Aug. 25, 1934 the??4 Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT (')FFIQEy one-third to Robert R. Wooten,

Fla.

Tallahassee,

Application August 23, 1934, Serial No. 741,178

Claims. (Cl. 246-477) This invention relates to a safety signal device nadapted to be placed on a rail of a track for the purpose of indicatingto the engineer or other occupant of a train, the fact that the trainshould 5A be brought to a stop.

It is a further object of the. invention to provide a device of thischaracter which serves to hold a visual signal which can be locked tothe device and thus held against unauthorized removal.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the. accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

in said drawing Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and partlyin section showing the signal block in position on a track rail.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is' a section on line 3-3 Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the filling block forming a part ofthe device.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5 5 Figure 2.

Referring to they figures by characters of reference, I designates anelongated block which is formed of hard wood. This block has a straightbottom face adapted to rest on a rail R. The top of the block isgradually inclined as indicated at 2 so as to provide a high rear end 3and a low front end Il, the front end being preferably bevelled asshown. The ends, top and sides of the block are covered with metalsheathing in the form of an inverted box 5 of sheet steel or the likeand this sheathing is held to the block by means of transverse bolts orrivets 6 which are embedded in channels 'I within the upper and lowerfaces of the block. The channels are so located and proportioned thatwhen the rivets or bolts are seated therein portions thereof will beflush with and exposed within the respective upper and lower faces ofthe block.

The sides of the sheathing 5 are extended downwardly at the sides ofrail R and are provided with depending wings 8 adapted tov extendbetween the ties T on which the rail R is mounted. A key 9 is insertabletransversely through these wings and is adapted to be secured at one endby a removable lock I0. The other end of the. key can be enlarged asshown so as to provide a head II.

The key is located where it will extend under the rail R after the blockhas been placed in 5 position. Consequentlyafter the key has beensecured by means of lock I0 it becomes impossible to remove the blockfrom the rail.

An opening I2 is extended downwardly through the block I and itssheathing near the high end 10 thereof and this opening is adapted toreceive the shank I3 of a plate I 4 adapted to be used as a flag orvisual signal. A ring I5 can be extended from this plate for supportinga signal lantern locked thereto if desired. l5

The shank I3 has a hole I6 extending through the lower end portionthereof. This hole is adapted to receive a pin I7 which can be insertedinto the hole after the shank has been inserted downwardly into theopening I2. When the safety 20 signal device is placed on a rail the pinII will be housed within a recess I8 in the bottom of the block and willprevent the shank from rotating and from being withdrawn from the blockas long as the block is secured in position. 25

In practice the shank is fastened to the block as explained and saidblock is then placed on a rail at a point where it is intended to signala train. The block should never be placed on the outside rail of a curvebut should be used only on 30 a straight rail or on the inside rail of acurve.

Should a train pass the signal it would not be derailed thereby. Insteadone or more of the wheels would ride on the block and drop off the highend thereof back onto the rail. The severe 35 jolt to which the carwould thus be subjected serves as a signal to its occupant. The occupantis also provided with a further signal in the form of the ag or plate I4and, under some conditions, a lamp suspended from the ring I5. 40

Shank I3 can be of such a nature as to be bent over by the wheel of acar when travelling along the block so that the jolting actionheretofore described will not be interfered with.

By arranging the bolts or rivets 6 so that they 45 will be iiush withthe top and bottom surfaces of the block I an important result isobtained. Those bolts or rivets in the bottom portion of the blockconstitute spaced non-yielding means for gripping the top surface of therail while the 50 bolts or rivets in the top portion of the blockconstitute spaced non-yielding means for engaging and supporting the topor load carrying portion of the sheathing.

It has been found in practice that the present 55 invention can be usedto advantage as a blue flag to indicate that track repairs are beingmade. After a crew of men have been put to work, the device can beattached to the track as heretofore explained and the signal appliedthereto. A signal of this type is of great value when used as statedbecause it cannot be removed except by the foreman or other personholding the key and unless it is removed the stoppage of an approachingtrain will be assured.

What is claimed is:

l. A signal device of the class described including a relatively longblock adapted to r-est upon and extend longitudinally of a rail with itsinner side substantially parallel with the inner side of the head of therail, said block having a high end and a low end joined by an inclinedupper surface, a sheathing on and securely fastened to the block andadapted to straddle and extend below a rail, and means for locking thesheathing to the rail.

2. A signal device for lifting a car wheel olf of a rail and dropping itback thereonto, comprising a relatively long block having a high end anda low end connected by an inclined upper surface, the inner side of theblock being substantially parallel with the inner side of the head ofthe rail, sheathing upon and securely fastened to the block and havingdepending side portions for receiving portions of a rail therebetweenand holding the block upon the rail and longitudinally thereof,depending wings on the sheathing adapted to extend below the rail andbetween its sup porting ties, and means for extension under the rail andengaging the wings for locking the device to the rail.

3. A signal device for lifting a car wheel olf of a rail and dropping itback thereonto, comprising a relatively long block having a high end anda low end connected by an inclined upper surface, the inner side of theblock being substantially parallel with the inner side of the head ofthe rail, sheathing upon the block having depending side portions forreceiving portions of a rail therebetween and holding the block upon therail and longitudinally thereof, means extending transversely of thesheathing and embedded in the tcp and bottom surfaces of the block forjoining the sheathing to the block, those means in the top surface ofthe block being exposed in said surface and providing spacednon-yielding supports for the sheathing, and those means in the bottomportion of the block being exposed in the bottom surface andconstituting non-yielding rail engaging elements, depending wings on thesheathing adapted to extend below the rail and between its supportingties, and means for extension under the rail and engaging the wings vfor locking the device to the rail.

4. A signal device of the class described including a relatively longblock adapted to rest upon and extend longitudinally of a rail with itsinner side substantially parallel with the inner side of the head of therail, said block having a high end and a low end joined by an inclinedupper surface, a sheathing on and securely fastened to the block andadapted to straddle and extend below a rail, means for locking thesheathing to the rail, a shank detachably secured within the block 'atthe high end thereof, and visual signal means carried by the shank.

5. A signal device for lifting `a car wheel off of a rail and droppingit back thereonto, comprising a relatively long block having a high endand a low end connected by an inclined upper surface, the inner side ofthe block being substantially parallel with the inner side of the headof the rail, sheathing upon the block having depending side portions forreceiving portions of a rail therebetween and holding the block upon therail and longitudinally thereof, means extending transversely of thesheathing and embedded in the top and bottom surfaces of the block forjoining the sheathing to the block, those means in the top surface ofthe block being exposed in said surface and providing spacednon-yielding supports for the sheathing and those means in the bottomportion of the block being exposed in the bottom surface andconstituting non-yielding rail engaging elements, depending wings on thesheathing adapted to extend below the rail and between its supportingties, means for extension under the rail and engaging the wings forlocking the device to the rail, a shank removably secured within thehigh end portion of the block, and a visual signal carried by the shank.

LORING B. HESTER.

